The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to area-denial devices, more particularly to a nonlethal airbag munition which can be used alone or in combination with anti-tank landmines to prevent target pedestrians, particularly warfighters, from entering a specific area or following a particular route for a period of time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For some time, both military and law enforcement agencies have been investigating alternatives to conventional non-lethal weapons.
It is well known that the kinetic energy in a relatively small projectile is sufficient to stun, disable, and/or bring a person to the ground. Evidence of this occurs in combat situations when a small arms projectile impacts a relatively large surface, such as a bulletproof vest, worn by the person fired upon. If the projectile does not penetrate the surface or object fired upon, most of the kinetic energy is distributed over the surface, and tends to stun or bring down the targeted personnel. Little or no long-term damage results from the lack of penetration of the projectile.
Taking advantage of this principle, several non-lethal weapons have been developed. Some use large projectiles to minimize the possibility of penetration.
Current law enforcement capabilities for immobilizing perpetrators of hostile or other inappropriate action include the use of riot control chemical dispensers, grenades and canisters. The use of such dispensers to deploy riot control material such as tear gas or mace is a preferred immobilizing technique. A less desirable alternative is the use of extreme force via firearms and the like. Although riot control materials, such as tear gas, have served the purpose, they have not proved entirely satisfactory under all conditions of service because they do not always accomplish the desired results. The effects of such riot control materials on personnel are unpredictable, ranging from having little or no effect to inducing hyperactive responses. In some extreme cases, the use of lethal force becomes necessary even though its use is seldom condoned by most law enforcement officials. Likewise, the use of less than lethal extreme forces, e.g., via a policeman""s club, a high-powered water hose, rubber bullets, etc., is currently not acceptable in most law enforcement scenarios.
Another well known non-lethal force protection munition which functions as an area denial device is the TASER(copyright) technology which is similar to an anti-personnel mine. The TASER(copyright) technology employs multiple independent standoff incapacitation devices that can temporarily incapacitate a subject without serious injury. The devices are activated by sensors after firing one or more high voltage leads at a subject.
Other non-lethal force protection munitions are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,787 is directed to a method of operating a non-lethal kinetic energy system. comprising a personnel target proximity detection means, an air bag and a means to inflate the air bag responsive to a signal provided by the proximity detection means. The method comprises the steps of: a) deploying the system toward a personnel target; b) sensing the proximity of the target; c) sending a signal to the air bag inflation means at a predetermined distance from the target; and d) inflating the air bag before impacting the target.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,976 discloses a rapidly deployable volume-displacement system and method for restraining the movement of objects having a plurality of restraining elements with each element including a deployable volume-displacement device that rapidly increases its volumetric size when deployed. A package containing the elements is placed in the area. The restraining elements comprise a propellant, a primer and an inflatable bag that is rapidly inflated by the propellant when fired by the primer.
There is currently a need for a non-lethal airbag munition which will provide nonlethal area defense and does not rely on proximity detection and may inflict severe ankle or foot injury and yet is discriminating based upon the weight of a target pedestrian.
The present inventive subject matter is directed to a non-lethal airbag munition which comprises a top and a base with the base being adapted to contain a propellant material. The non-lethal airbag munition has an initiator body containing at least one gas vent and means for initiating the propellant material. The initiator body is fixed to and sealed from the base and is positioned above the propellant material. The initiation means is positioned inside the top of the initiator body. A flexible sleeve is attached to and seals the top and the base with the sleeve being capable of compressing when the top and the base are in a compressed state and expanding in an axial direction when the propellant material is initiated. Application of pressure by a target pedestrian on the munition top lowers the initiation means and ignites the propellant material and produces gas pressure which act upon the top.
It is also a feature and advantage of the inventive subject matter to provide a non-lethal munition whose initiation discriminates based upon the weight of a target pedestrian.